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Real estate record and builders' guide: v. 26, no. 650: August 28, 1880

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Real Estate Record AND BUILDERS' GUIDE. Vol. XXYI. NEW YOKE, SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 1880. No. 650 Published Weekly by %\n%ml €stateSetorb ^ssotmtion. TERMS. ONE YEAR, in advance....SIO.OO. Communications should be addressed to C. W. SWEET, No. 157 Broadway NEW YORK AS A MANUFACTURING CENTRE. The special agent charged by the general government with obtaining manufacturing statistics in this city for the census of 1880, lias issued an open letter to manufacturers and citizens generally, urging them to place all the information he asks for at his com¬ mand without delay, and to facilitate his labors. In a letter accompanying the blank forms of schedules, he confirms the state- iDonts frequentlymade in these columns that New York city not only contains the largest number of inhabitants, and the greatest amount of Avealth, but will prove to be, when the statistics are all gatliered, to be the largest manufacturing city in the Union. ]\Ien of enterprise and capital who have closely watched the growth of our metropolis Iiave been awai*e of this fact before this, and they have already invested their money in those localities where ''it will do the most good" from a -manufacturing standpoint OIllJ^ They have seen and closely watched the crammed lofts in the Fourteenth, Eighth and Ninth Wards of our city, observed the numerous small industries, all specialties in themselves, requiring the constant employ¬ ment of hundreds of males, females and youths, all forming part of a laboring army that would astound Lowell, Lawrence and even Pittsburgh. The thousand and one articles forming part of a gentleman's or lady's attire, many of which were imported only a few years ago android at a profit in this market, are aU being manufactured in this city now, down to the lining that forms so important a part of a lady's bonnet. Each of these articles forms a specialty and each requires the employment of numerous hands. And all of this is not growing by the year but by the month and the week. Where to find even room for all of those engaged in these manufactures has been a i)uzzle for many an investor, and The Record has time and again called attention to this new factor in metro¬ politan prosperity. We hail, therefore, with satisfaction the special efforts made by the government in obtaining accurate statistics in regard to the actual sta;te of manufactur¬ ing in our niidst. Only, as in everything else, the government does not come up to the enterprise of the people.. We say this de¬ liberately after carefully studying the blank tables that have been issued containing twenty-nine columns to be filled \\\i by our city manufacturers. The enquiries are well enough as far as they go, but they do not go far enough. The chief statistician having charge of tV>e census should have borne in rnind that there are manufacturing firms all through our State, and in the interior of other States, anxious to move their establishments near the shipping point. We regret, there¬ fore, to see that in the number of enquiries there are none demanding an actual exhibit of the expenditures incident to manufactur¬ ing, such as rent and real estate taxes. These nrust be added to the manufactured product and form part of the cost of the article. True, the question of wages has not bt^en over¬ looked, but does Mr. HiU, who speaks so glowingly of New^ York's manufacturing prowess, remember thatthree-fovirths of that increased manufacturing in our midst is due to the large amount of female labor V Why not obtain the wages paid to women, and place them side by side of the column of male labor? Hoopskirts, umbrellas, neckties, underwear, shirts and other artitiles, too numerous to mention are made by female labor. What is the average of wages i)aid them in this city compared to the same labor performed in the interior? The result then obtained and added to the rent or tax ex¬ penses, would enable manufacturers in the interior to judge whether it would pay to go near the shipping point or remain where they are. Again, would it not be well in this connection to obtain the average amount of labor performed by a female operative in the city and in the country, also the average per centum of female work rejected by experts in the city and country ? These are questions often asked in this great and growing manu¬ facturing centre. And while the govern¬ ment is engaged in the work it might as well be done inteUigently, and in a manner to give those seeking advice the necessary infor¬ mation. Another and very important enquiry just now, while everything is being done to enhance the value of our manufactured pro¬ ducts and to lower the cost of their pro¬ duction, is to ascertain the status and nativity of our workingmen and women. New factories are being started in this section almost every month with skilled labor im¬ ported from abroad. There is an impression prevailing that this importation of skilled foreign labor is unnecessary, the supply of that quality on hand being sufficient for all requisite purposes. And yet this impression may be erroneous. Had the Interior Depart¬ ment, in organizing this manufactui'ing section of the Census Bureau, consulted a man like Mr. Carroll D. Wright, of Boston, there would have indeed emanated from a govern¬ ment bureau information of great value to a numerous class of manufacturers determined to enlarge their business, and other investors anxious to enter upon new enterprises. Nowhere in this country have statistics been brought to such perfection as in the Mas¬ sachusetts Bureau, and the lessons gathered from the comparative tables there prepared have been a source of profit to the whole of New England. There is no reason why the general government should not work as assiduously in gathering statistics for an entire nation as does a single* State for the benefit of its jparticular section. THE EXAMINATION OF TITLES. While, for the present, transactions in real estate are not extensive, there is little doubt that the depression whicli endured since 1873 liao terminated, and that things are ad¬ justing themselves so that in the coming fall or spring there wiU be an active market. An idea in connection with the transfer of real estaU; has been broached and has been cordially received, that certificates of title to real estate should pass as readily as certifi¬ cates of stock or as other personal property. Lawyers of the old school, respecting the coiir servative character of real estate securities, would perhaps deplore the introduction of any more of the Wall street methods into the real estate business, and, it is claimed, that without a radical revolution in the laws af¬ fecting real estate, it is not practicable to ac¬ complish this easy road to changes of owner¬ ship in land. It is admitted that the expense of search¬ ing titles should be reduced. There are too many liens upon real estate ; there should be only one--a lien secured by fiHng a notice of pendency of action in additional cases to those no'ii;- provided. And, at all events, the period d'-txing which a judgment is a lien, should be limited to three years. Were this the laAv, the expense of searching in the county (lerk's office would be greatly re¬ duced. Tlie tax searcher should be a stated clerk in tlie Department of Finance, and should give a certificate without charge. All this is practicable, and legislation to this end shoTj.ld be furthered. . This he.mg accomplished, the other point of expense is the conveyancer's charge. This has been justly criticized in tliese col¬ umns. Ia well regulated offices, however— and there are still conservative lawyers like those vf ho advised in regard to real estate thirty years ago—the charge has not mate¬ rially advanced since 1860, while the labor of